After a few more minutes after Lucy felt she couldn't cry anymore, Layla came over to them and wrapped her arms around Lucy. "It will be okay mommy. You don't have to cry, daddy will keep us safe." she whispered but Natsu heard as she turned towards him giving him a confident toothy grin while he wrapped his arms around them both closing his eyes and said "yes I will" then the girls hugged him tightly. "I wont let anything happen to either of you" he swore. "Thank you baby" Lucy said kissing the top of Layla's head and looked up at Natsu with an optimistic smile. "Let's get you guys out of here alright?" asked Jellal as they all nodded their heads. Layla stood up as Natsu grabbed hold of Lucy's arms gently bringing her up off the floor. "Come on guys" said Erza as they followed her out the door with Jellal right behind them. Layla walked in front of Natsu and Lucy while he had his arm around Lucy making sure she didn't fall since she was not in the state of mind to pay attention where she was walking. "Follow behind us Natsu" said Erza once they got to the parking lot. He nodded his head as he took Lucy and Layla to his car and had them get in.

Once they pulled up to her house, Natsu was pleased when he saw it was nothing big and fancy. There were four rooms he saw once they were inside but it wasn't huge and immaculate. It felt very much like a warm, caring home. He saw pictures of Erza and Jellal in multiple places around the house. Some of them individual but then he saw pictures of them together. "I can't wait to get pictures like that with Lucy" he thought happily as he saw wedding pictures getting him more fired up then ever for his wedding day. Erza was wearing a short white dress and a veil with some white combat boots while Jellal was in a dark blue suit while they were standing on a patio. "Our day is coming Lucy, just you wait." he thought to himself positively as he looked at Lucy who looked exhausted. "Erza, where is the guest room?" Natsu asked. "On the right, second one" she told him. He turned towards Lucy, putting a hand to her cheek as he kissed her forehead. "Go onto bed Lucy. Your exhausted." She nodded her head as she walked towards the room but stopped right at the doorway and said "I love you Natsu" "I love you too baby. Goodnight" he said lovingly watching her go in and shut the door.

"Daddy, where did mommy go?" Layla asked. "Mommy has had a very long day baby girl so she's going to sleep" "Okay. I hope mommy doesn't get sad like she used too." said Layla with a sad look in her eyes. "Huh?" said the other three as Natsu sat up on the couch with her on his lap. "Layla, what are you talking about honey?" asked Natsu immediately. "Mommy...she used to get sad like this.." Natsu looked up at Jellal as he regretfully nodded his head in agreement as he looked back towards Layla. "Mommy used to be sad like this a lot. I saw whenever she looked at pictures of you, she would get the same face. She would hide it away when she thought I wasn't looking." Natsu felt himself getting pissed off again when he took a deep breath reigning it in. "When mommy saw you, she was so happy, me too. I got to meet you daddy!" her voice perked up making him smile but it was only for a second as he watched her face go back down.

"I don't want to go back to being sad" Natsu's hands balled into fists as he watched small tears come down her face. "Don't let that mean lady take us away daddy please" she cried putting her hands to her face. Calmly as he could , he took her hands away from her face and she looked up at him as he said in a direct but kind voice "she won't take you two anywhere, I promise." she nodded her head as she laid herself against him softly crying. "I'll be damned if anyone tries to take you both away. I just got you back. There's no way in hell anyone is going to touch you" he thought determined as he looked at the other two and knew they felt the exact same way as Natsu tightened his grip around Layla letting her cry. She cried until she fell asleep in Natsu's arms where he very carefully laid her against his shoulder placing an hand behind her head. "Going to get this little one to bed" whispered Natsu as he waved at the other two.

"Goodnight Natsu" said Erza in a very hushed voice. He smirked at her as he quietly opened the door so as not to wake Lucy or Layla up. He sat her down in the middle of the bed between him and Lucy then crashed down on his stomach onto the bed with his face planted right in the middle of the pillow. "I'm freaking exhausted" he moaned in his head until he turned and faced the girls and smiled. He gracefully pulled hair out of Lucy's face. "but it's all worth it for these two, exhausted or not." he thought as sleep overcame him and he was out with arm over the two girls. The next morning Natsu woke up as he looked loving at Lucy who showed no signs of waking up at any point soon. "Sleep as long as you want baby" he said quietly. He looked down and saw Layla rubbing her eyes. She opened her eyes bright eyed and bushy tailed and was about to say something when Natsu quickly put a finger over her lips smiling and pointing to Lucy.

She giggled understanding what he meant. Letting her sleep and just in boxer short, he threw on a shirt and grabbed Layla's hand as they walked out and he shut the door. "Morning you two" greeted Erza who was in a night shirt and shorts with a cup of coffee in her hands. "Hey" said Natsu sleepily as he and Layla sat on chairs next to their counter. He was appreciative when he saw Erza slide a cup of coffee towards him. "Hmm, thanks Erza" "Figured you were going to need it" "Ha, thanks" he said amused. "Where's Jellal this morning?" "He's at the gym working out" "Really?, what time is it?" "It's nine but he goes in early which he's allowed to do since we own it." she said with a laugh. "You ready to go back?" she asked him. "I don't know" he told her. "Natsu, I saw you, you may not have been able to hit but that was only because you were unfocused but you are a force to be reckoned with. If you give me time to work with you then when I'm done with you, you will be unstoppable." She said firmly without hesitation or doubt. "You really have a high opinion of me" "It's not opinion, it's a fact. You said so yourself that you work out and I can tell just by looking at you, you aren't weak in any capacity. Just give me time to help you control your rage."

"Alright Erza" he replied with a smirk as he held his hand out. "You've got a deal" he confirmed as they shook each other's hands. "I look forward to it" she said with a sly smile. "Daddy" Layla called getting his attention as she poked him. "What's up baby girl?" She whispered "I'm hungry" "Oh Erza, do you have cereal?" "We most certainly do" she answered happily as she got up and Natsu went to her cupboards. "Hey Erza...where are your bowls?" he asked realizing as he went up that he had no clue where anything was. She laughed as she opened the one right in front of him making him feel dumb. He shook his head amused at himself. Hearing Erza laugh made him laugh in return as they both did for a couple minutes while Layla smiled happy as she could be. "Felt nice to laugh" he said brightly once they were done. "Agreed" Erza replied as she handed Natsu the cereal then he poured it. He didn't have to go far for the fridge as he went and pulled out milk for her cereal then put it back. He set the bowl down in front of her as Erza handed her a spoon while Natsu ran his hand through her hair messing it up. They both smiled watching Layla eat. "Layla, sweetheart, why did you whisper that you were hungry. You know you don't have to do that" asked Erza.

"I didn't want to be rude and say something without asking. "Layla, baby girl. You were hungry, there's no need to be shy about that. Who on earth told you something like that" asked Natsu. They both watched as Layla's smile was slowly replaced with a frown as she looked down onto the counter getting their attentions. "Layla, look at me" he told her seriously but not harshly. "Who told you that honey?" he asked concerned, his voice lightened up as he didn't want to scare her. "Tttthe lady" she said stuttering freaking Natsu and Erza how afraid she sounded. "Layla, what lady?" asked Erza. Layla shut her eyes tightly as she said " the lady mmmommy and ddddaddy ssaw" Her eyes flew open as she snapped her head around to Natsu who had gone eerily silent. "Ddddaddy" she stuttered as she watched him drop his cup and it shattered. "GODDAMNIT!" he screamed making Layla jump and flinch as he jumped out of his seat.

His hands were balled up as his breathing turned rapid, the rage growing inside him. "Natsu" Erza called as he whipped his head around angrily. She had her hands around Layla protectively as she clung to Erza. "Layla" he said guility as he ran into his room quick to grab his pants and shoes and ran out the front door. Erza and Layla ran after him as he got into his car. "Daddy!" "Natsu!" they yelled out to him but he wasn't listening as he sped down the road. He sped as fast as he could not giving a damn if he was speeding or not. "She's going to pay" he thought darkly as he drove. As he got to his mother, he didn't bother turning off the car as he ran to the doors and busted through them. "WHERE ARE YOU,YOU FUCKING BITCH!" he roared as his rage was pouring out of him. He heard footsteps as he ran to the living room to see her coming in from outside. "Natsu, what's got you so on edge. I thought you were done with me." "Don't you fucking act coy with me, when the hell did you meet with Layla?" he said glaring at her.

"Oh, how did you find out?" "I'm her father!, did you really expect her to keep that from me?, how the hell did you meet her?" "Hmph you were a disappointment after you met Lucy and she's a tramp. I thought I could do better with my granddaughter and honestly Natsu, you don't think I knew when Lucy wasn't watching her. "SHE IS NOT YOUR GRANDDAUGHTER!, YOU ARE NOTHING TO HER" "Natsu" she said coy. "NO, I told you the next time I cam here that you wouldn't be breathing the next time I left. YOUR GONNA PAY!"he screamed as he came for her when he felt two massive guards grab ahold of him pulling him back. "You fucking wench, you think these guards can protect you" he snapped. "No but I think four of them will do" she said with a wicked smile as more guards came in dragging Natsu out as he screamed at the top of his lungs. They threw him to the ground as Natsu got back up and launched himself at them only to have two of them hold him as the other two started beating on him.

Natsu didn't say anything as they beat him and threw him to his car when they were done. Angry, bitter and barely able to stand, he pushed himself to his car and made his way back to Erza's house. "Stay here Layla" Erza insisted once she heard him pull up. She jumped off the couch as Layla stayed there. Throwing open the door , she ran to catch Natsu who nearly fell getting out of the car. Her hands were shaking at the shape he was in. He had bruises all over his face, his nose was bleeding, his knuckles were red and she didn't want to think about what was under his shirt. "My god, Natsu" she said sympathetically as she threw his arm over her shoulder to help him get in the house. "Daddy!" Layla yelled as she saw them come through the door. "No..nnoo baby girl" he mumbled weakly as Lucy who had just woken up had come out of the room. She stopped dead as she looked at Natsu and Erza as he collapsed onto the floor in front of her. "NATSUUUU" she screamed